


It Changed in a Moment

by StoriesbyReese



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Christmas, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-14 19:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13014690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriesbyReese/pseuds/StoriesbyReese
Summary: It only takes a moment for everything to change, for things to begin, or for things to end. Kara reflects and reacts to the moments that changed her life, the good and the bad.





	It Changed in a Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PiperHG](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiperHG/gifts).



It was on a night just like this that things changed. It was a night just like this when it started. A CatCo holiday party had been in full swing. Kara had been mingling with her coworkers but had been keeping an eye on Cat like always just in case her boss and mentor needed something. As the night had warn on Kara had noticed Cat slowly making her way towards her office. Despite appearances otherwise, Cat could only handle so much social interaction before needing a moment to catch her breath. Kara knew this and had excused herself from the conversation she’d been having with James and Winn to follow Cat out onto her balcony. 

“Ms. Grant?” Kara had said softly as she stepped outside to join her boss. On her way through the office she’d grabbed the faux fur wrap that went with Cat’s dress. Walking over to the older woman she draped it over the blonde’s shoulders. “Is everything alright?” 

Cat hadn’t looked at Kara when she’d relied, “Everything is fine, Kara. Thank you.” 

Kara had blinked in surprise. Cat never used her correct name unless she was being deadly serious about getting a point across to her, or when she was feeling deeply emotional. Kara had frowned. She’d run through a million thoughts trying to figure out what was on Cat’s mind, but couldn’t pinpoint anything. Since she couldn’t directly fix what had put her mentor in the mood she’d been in, Kara had decided to try and help lift her spirits indirectly. She’d disappeared back inside for a moment and then returned with a wrapped gift which she held out to Cat with the brightest of warm smiles on her face. 

“What is that?” Cat had asked. 

Kara had laughed. “It’s a Christmas present.” She held it out a little future. “Go ahead. Open it.” 

On Cat’s first day at the Daily Planet she’d been so excited, so nervous, and so scared she’d forgotten to bring a pen and notepad. Perry White had given her one of his pens and shoved a notepad at her while grumbling and scolding her about being prepared and how real reporters acted. She’d felt like a kicked dog and a chastised child. The first time one of her articles had won an award Perry had given her a beautiful engraved pen with a curt but meaningful message of congratulations and encouragement. That pen had been the first in Cat’s collection. 

The pen Kara had given her that night had been far from the most expensive, nor had it been, or at least Kara thought at the time that it had not been, one of the more meaningful ones. It was a fountain pen, black with a small silver panther wrapped around the cap, it’s eyes tiny chips of emerald. The pen itself was made to fit Cat’s hand perfectly and the tip and ink were her favorites to use. Her dark eyes had actually widened in surprise and Kara had heard her heartbeat speed up. “Kara, it’s beautiful.” She admitted in a soft awe stuck tone of voice. Of course the moment she’d realised she’d gone soft she’d put that edge back in her voice as she’d asked, “How much do I pay you?” 

Kara would realize later that the gift had been one of meaning and not just another token holiday present. It had been given out of love and respect and admiration, not oblation or as a way to impress and get in good with Cat like most other gifts she would receive. She would also realize that giving Cat the gift in that moment, a moment where Cat had been open and vulnerable, had been what triggered the following few minutes. Kara had had plans to meet Alex after the party so they could get on the road and make it to Midvale by Christmas Eve, so Kara had wished Cat a Merry Christmas and had turned to leave when Cat suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. 

“I have something for you as well, Kara.” Cat had said as she pulled the younger woman closer. 

Their first kiss had tasted like the brandy Cat had kept in her glass all night. When the kiss ended Cat had asked if Kara she wanted to stop and Kara had said no. Cat had smiled a knowing smile. She’d known how Kara felt. It had been Kara who’d been clueless until that moment. From that night on whenever they could be they were together. 

“You didn’t believe J’onn was me did you?” Kara had asked one night in front of the massive fireplace in the living room of Cat’s penthouse. They were wrapped in a tangle of blankets and Supergirl’s cape. 

“Not for a second.” Cat had admitted. “But I knew you needed me to think it had. You’re first instinct is always to protect, Kara, and when it comes to you, so is mine.” 

They hadn’t announced their relationship but a handful of people did know. Alex knew of course, and at the time Kara was confused by her sister’s reaction. Alex had run a gamut of emotions over Kara and Cat, from confusion and shock to anger. Of course it all made sense now. Kara had so easily slipped into something that Alex had struggled with most of her life. If Kara hadn’t been so completely engulfed in Cat back than she would have seen that, and she could have helped her sister with her own self acceptance so much sooner. Clark and Lois knew. Lois, always so eagle eyed when it came to details, had noticed the smell of Cat’s custom one of a kind perfume on Supergirl’s cape. When she’d confront Cat in Kara and Clark’s presence Cat hadn’t denied it while Kara had blushed. 

“Do you have to have everything I have?” Lois had snarled in a huff. 

Cat had smirked. “I don’t have a second rate career writing mediocre articles for someone else’s publication, so no, I don’t have to have everything you have.” 

“Cat!” Kara had scolded. 

“What?” Cat had replied. 

Kara had sighed. “Be nice!”  
Cat had let out a bark of a laugh that just made Kara shake her head. 

Carter had known that Kara was very special to his mother, though he didn’t know the details, which made everything that happened next that much harder to take. Suddenly CatCo wasn’t enough. National City wasn’t enough. Kara wasn’t enough. According to Cat, she’d done all there was to do, so she just left. A big fat fish looking for bigger ponds, or something like that. Kara had only been able to focus on the fact that their relationship had ended as suddenly as it had started, so Cat’s reasonings had become fuzzy and blurred around the edges. 

Cat had spent a year nomading across the globe only to end up in Washington DC where she now held court as the White House Press Secretary, while Kara stood alone on the balcony while yet another CatCo holiday party went on inside. Kara stood there looking out over the city drinking brandy that did nothing more than leave a bitter taste in her mouth as the memories washed over her unwelcome and unwanted. She had tried her best to put Cat and everything they’d had behind her. She’d thrown herself into a relationship with Mon-El and for at least a little while it was easy to pretend like he was it for her, that he was the great love of her life, but she was just kidding herself. 

Kara was surrounded by people who loved her and who she truly loved in return, but she couldn’t have felt more alone. Maybe Alex was right. Maybe she should give in and see where things went with…

“Hello Kara.” 

How could she not have heard her coming? Turning on her heel Kara looked utterly surprised as she fumbled around a simple name. “Ms. Grant?” 

“Not enjoying the party?” Cat asked as she walked towards Kara. 

Kara blinked. Her own heart was racing as fast as she could hear Cat’s beating. “What are you doing here?” 

“Looking for you.” Cat said softly, stopping a few feet away when she noticed Kara’s defensive posture. 

“Well,” Kara said, a little more snarky than she normally would. Her head and heart were full of memories that had weakened her as surely as exposure to kryptonite would. Why, in the name of Rao, did Cat have to show up out of the blue right at this moment? “Here I am.” 

Cat eyed the young woman and the drink in her hand and asked, “Kara, are you drunk?” 

Kara snorted softly. “Hardly. This might as well be water for me.” Turning away from Cat she went back to looking out at the city. “I’m not drunk, I’m just…” She sighed softly before saying. “Alone.” 

“Me too.” Cat said as she joined Kara at the railing. 

“And who’s fault is that?” Kara replied before she could stop herself. 

“Mine.” Cat said as she turned to look at Kara just as Kara turned to look at her. “The truth of the matter is that I was happy, Kara. For the first time in my life, with the exception of the joy my sons bring me, I was happy.” She paused to blow out a breath before admitting. “And that scared the hell out of me, so I ran. I ran as far away as I could possibly get, a yurt in the middle of the himalayan mountains. I self sabotaged us before it could go any further so it would hurt less than when it went to hell on it’s own.” 

“You don’t know it would have gone to hell.” Kara spat at her. “You just assumed and you know what they say about assuming.” 

Cat chuckled at that. “Yes I do and yes I did make an ass of myself.”

Kara looked at Cat and narrowed her eyes as she again asked, “What are you doing here, Cat?” 

“Being selfish.” Cat answered. “The President isn’t always going to need me and when my time in Washington is up, I want to come home Kara. I want to come home to this city, to my company, and to you.” 

“Cat.” Kara replied, all the emotions she was feeling were shoved into that single syllable. 

“I know.” Cat said. “It’s not fair of me. I walked away, I left you behind, and now here I am asking you to just, I don’t know, love me again, I guess. I don’t know, all I know is that I miss you, I miss being happy with you, and I must be getting sappy in my old age because for some reason I thought this would be the perfect time to see if there was any hope. Christmas miracles and all.” 

“Cat, I… I don’t know if…” Kara fumbled with her words. This was the last thing she’d ever expected. Not only to have Cat return but to return for her. It seemed almost unreal. 

Cat nodded. “I understand. It was a long shot but I had to try.” She gave Kara a soft smile. “Merry Christmas, Kara.” 

Kara watched Cat turn and start to walk away. How many times had she berated herself for letting Cat walk away the first time? She’d been so angry with herself. Why hadn’t she fought Cat? Why hadn’t she tried to stop her, to make her stay, to promise her the whole world and beyond if she would just stay. But she had convinced herself that letting Cat go was best for Cat, that she couldn’t hold her back or weigh her down. She couldn’t let what was between them take away from who Cat was, and Cat had always been the type of woman to go out and conquer whatever she’d set her mind on. But Kara wasn’t the same woman she’d been than, and it was Cat herself that had told her that when it came to the heart it was alright to be selfish. 

Reaching out Kara grabbed Cat by the wrist to stop her. The older woman turned and looked back at her, their eyes locking and the world around them melting away. Kara pulled Cat to her, their bodies a breath apart. “There won’t be any third chances.” 

“I know.” Cat replied, looking into Kara’s eyes while hope filled her own. 

“Good.” Kara said and then kissed Cat. 

When they pulled apart Cat smiled. “That was unexpected.” 

“Don’t think for a moment this is going to be easy.” Kara replied. “You hurt me, Cat. This is going to be anything but easy, but it’s not impossible.” 

Cat nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry, Kara.”

“Show me.” Kara replied. 

Cat smiled and said. “I’d love too.” She leaned in and kissed Kara again before saying, “Up up and away Supergirl. Someplace private if you please.” 

Kara wouldn’t be making it home to Midvale this Christmas either.


End file.
